Write Your Own Rhymes

Many students say that memorizing vocabulary words is a struggle, and that makes sense. We often study words that we rarely see or hear in our daily lives, and it can seem like waste of time to cram these definitions into our brains. Yet vocabulary is an essential part of school, and it's an essential part of being an effective communicator.

The Flocabulary approach is not about parroting a definition or remembering a word for a week. This method was created to foster word ownership, so that a third grader who learns a word through this lesson will be able to use that word on a college essay. And rhymes using vocabulary words can be written in any academic subject.

The worksheet uses the example of learning the word vain. Follow these steps and the examples on the sheet to help students memorize any word.

  • Step 1. Choose and teach the vocabulary word.
  • Step 2. Set up the formula.
  • Step 3. Write the first line.
  • Step 4. Identify rhyming words.
  • Step 5. Complete the rhyme.
  • Step 6. Share or perform the rhyme.

Students can share their rhymes. This is not only a fun way to wrap up a lesson, but it will also give students the opportunity to practice using their words.